- X had introduced Community Notes as a crowd-based system to add context to posts
- The feature had relied on agreement across diverse viewpoints rather than majority opinion to determine helpfulness
- Users had been required to meet eligibility criteria and gradually earn the ability to contribute notes
The social media platform X has introduced Community Notes, a crowd-sourced feature designed to provide additional context to posts that may be misleading, incomplete, or require clarification.
According to information published on the platform’s official website, Community Notes aims to improve public understanding by allowing users to collaboratively contribute insights. Rather than relying solely on platform moderation, the system encourages participation from a diverse group of contributors.
X describes the initiative as “a collaborative way to keep people better informed”, emphasising that contributors are everyday users who volunteer to help improve the quality of information shared online.
A System Built on Diverse Perspectives
Unlike traditional moderation tools, Community Notes does not prioritise majority opinion. Instead, it highlights notes that are rated as helpful by users with differing viewpoints.
This approach ensures that the context displayed on posts is broadly agreed upon across perspectives, rather than reflecting a single dominant narrative. Visibility of notes depends on their usefulness to a wide range of users, reinforcing the platform’s goal of balanced information.
Eligibility and Sign-Up Process
To become a contributor, users must meet certain requirements set by X. These include having an account that is at least six months old, a verified phone number, and no recent violations of platform rules.
Additionally, the phone number must come from a trusted carrier and not be linked to multiple Community Notes accounts. These safeguards are intended to reduce spam and ensure that contributors are genuine individuals.
Once eligible, users can sign up and begin participating. New contributors initially rate existing notes, and only after consistently providing helpful feedback do they gain the ability to write their own notes. This gradual progression helps maintain quality and reliability.
Requesting and Reviewing Notes
Even users who are not contributors can request a Community Note on a post. This is done through the three-dot menu on a post, where the “Request Community Note” option is available.
To make requests, users must also have a verified phone number. Initially, individuals can submit up to five requests per day, with limits subject to change based on the usefulness of those requests.
Requests become visible to contributors when certain conditions are met, such as reaching a minimum number of requests or originating from users with strong credibility scores. Typically, more recent posts are prioritised for review.
Transparency at the Core
All contributions within Community Notes are publicly visible, although anonymised, allowing users to see how context is added and evaluated. Users can also report notes they believe are inaccurate or inappropriate.
The system is built on the principle of collective judgement. Rather than the platform deciding what is true or false, Community Notes relies on users to determine what context is genuinely helpful.
In essence, the feature functions by enabling multiple users to assess the same content. Notes are only displayed when people with varying perspectives agree on their usefulness, ensuring that accuracy is prioritised over popularity.